Battery light



1,599,499 E. ST. JOHN TTTTTTTTTTT T 1 INVEN TOR Z. 56. e olan A TTIIRNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,599,499 PATENT} OFFICE.

EVERETT ST. JOHN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TELEPHONEAN D TELEGRAPH COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BATTERY LIGHT.

Application filed Tebruary 8, 1926. Seria1,No. 86,904.

This invention relates to battery lights, and more particularly tobattery lights in which the electric circuit is opened and closed byturning a screw cap in one end of the case.

The ordinary" screw case switching ar rangement provides for the closingof the electric circuit when the screw cap is screwed into the mainbattery light member. With certain uses of such a battery light,for-instance, by a commercial worker in the field, who may carry histools in a bag, it is found that, due to play in the threads, accidentalpressure on the circuit controlling screw cap is likely to result inthe'closing of the circuit and the wasting of the batteries.

It is applicants object in the present in-' vention to provide a circuitclosing arrangement which is free from the. defect of the ordinary lightof this class indicated above.

Applicants invention will be clearly understood when the followingdetailed description isread with reference to the accompanying drawing.Figure 1 of the drawin shows a side elevation of applicants light, andFig. 2 shows the same view in cross-section.

\Vith reference to the details of the drawing, the main casing 3 isconstructed of hard fibreor other suitable insulating material andcarries the upper screw cap 4 and the lower screw cap 5. The lower capcontains the spring 6 which tends to force upward the. battery cells 7and 8. There is riveted to the side ,of the main casing 3 near its upperend a flanged member 9 which is externally threaded to receive theinternally threaded lens cap 10. The reflector 11 is mounted in theusual manner over the lamp, which comprises the filament 13, the basemember 14 and the contact tip 15. .The flanged member 9 is connected tothe lower screw cap 5 by the brass contact strip 16, which is connectedthrough the wall of the case by rivets to the flanged member and to thelowerscrew cap, through the threaded sleeveassociated therewith. Amovable button having a body portion '17, an upper flange portion 18formed integrally therewith, and a lower flange portion 19 is mounted ina hole at the center of the spring brass contact strip 20 riveted acrossthe case 3 below the lamp. The body ortion 17 and the upper flangeportion 18 0 this movable button are constructed of hard fibre, whilethe lower flange portion 19 is a brass washer rlveted to the otherportions. strip 20 has an upward extension which The contact makescontact at alltimes with the tip 15. Furthermore, contact is maintainedat all times between the brass washer 1.9 and the upper battery cell 8by the upward pressure of the spring 6 in the lower screw cap 5. Theupper screw cap 4 carries a fibre rod 21 which bears against the top ofthe movable button. When thetupper screw cap4 is screwed down therefore,the movable button is forced downward through the central hole in thestrip 20, and, as a result, the strip 20 bears against the upper flangeportion 18 of the button, which is of fibre, whilethe' lower flangeportion or washer 19 of brass is forced away from the strip 20. Thus theelectric circuit is broken between the strip 20 and the upper batterycell 8. If, however, the screw cap 4 is partiall unscrewed carrying thefibre rod 21 upwar the movable button moves'upward due to the pressureof the spring 6, and contact is made between the strip 20 and the uppercell 8 through the washer 19 which now bears against the strip 20. Thefollowing circuit is now closed: lower cell 7 spring 6, lower screw cap5 and threaded sleeve associated therewith, contact strip 16, flangedmember 9, reflector 11, base member 14, filament 13, contact tip 15,contact strip 20, brass washer 19, and upper cell 8.

It is clear from the above description of applicants battery light thataccidental pressure against the circuit controlling upper cap will'notclose the circuit and waste the battery, but, on the contrary, will tendto open the circuit. In order to-close the circuit, it is necessary thatthe upper cap be partially. unscrewed.

While applicants invention has been described in one particularembodiment which is deemed desirable, it is to be understood that it iscapable of embodiment in other and difi'erent forms withinthe scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

and extending downward against the lower end of said battery and tendingto force it upward, a conductive member making contact between saidreflector and said lower screw cap, a contact strip making fixed contactat one end with said lamp, an upper screw cap on said case, and meansassociated with said cap for holding the circuit open between the upperend of said battery and said contact strip when said cap is screwed intothe case and for making contact between the battery and the contactstrip when said cap is partially unscrewed.

2. In a battery light, a casing member of non-conductive material, alamp, a conductive reflector connected therewith, a conduc tive screwcap at the lower end of said casing member, a conductive stripconnecting said reflector and said screw cap, a spring mounted in saidscrew cap, a battery bearing at its lower end against said spring andforced upward thereby, a contact strip mounted inside the casing memberabove the battery and making fixed contact at one end with the lamp, amovable button as-.

sociated with said contact strip and having a non-conductive portion anda conductive portion, said conductive portion making fixed contact withthe upper end of the battery, an upper screw cap on the casing member,and a rod of non-conductive material carried by said screwcap into thecasing member to bear against the contact. button, said button being somounted that when the upper, screw cap is screwed down into the casing,the non-conductive portion of the contact button bears against thecontact strip and the conductive portion is insulated therefrom, andwhen said cap is partially unscrewed, the conductive portion of thebutton makes contact with said contact strip, completing the circuit.

3. In a battery light, a lamp', a conductive reflector connectedthereto, a case of insulating material, an upper screw cap on said case,a conductive lower screw cap on said case, a spring mounted in saidlower screw cap, a battery having its lower end bearing against saidspring, a longitudinal contact strip serving to connect said reflectorand said lower screw cap, a transverse contact strip mounted in saidcase below said lamp and having one end extending upward to make contactwith said lamp, a movable contact button having a body portion and anupper flange portion of insulating material and a lower flange por' tionof conductive material making contact with the upper end of the battery,said flange portions being designed to bear against said transversecontact strip, one in each position of the contact button, and alongitudinal rod of insulating material carried by and in fixed relationto said upper screw cap, said rod bearing against the upper end of saidcontact button, so that when the upper screw cap is screwed into thecase, the insulating upper flange portion of the contact button isforced against the transverse contact strip, breaking the circuit, andwhen said screw cap is partially unscrewed from the case, said flangeportion is separated from said contact strip and the conductive lowerflange portion is forced against said contact strip, completing thecircuit.

Intestimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this6th day of February, 1926.

EVERETT ST. JOHN.

